July 19, 2010

Hey Everyone!

This week has been really good! We've committed 5 people to be baptized! Last Tuesday, we had an appointment with this guy named Jack. Jack is roommates with a member named Kirk. Kirk has been teaching Jack a lot about the church and had taught him enough that on the first appointment, we were able to commit Jack to be baptized on July 31st! That never happens! He's so good! He's willing to obey all the commandments with a very willing heart!

We also committed a woman name Danielle. Sister Hamilton and I tracted into Danielle. When she answered the door, she was half asleep, but agreed to let us come back and teach her. When we showed up for her appointment, she wasn't home. We left a note, but didn't really expect anything to come of it. A few hours later, she called us and asked us to come back the next day. We have taught her a couple of times and have set a baptismal date with her for August 14th!

We also have Ali and Randy. They are mother and daughter. Sister Hamilton and I also tracted them. They are super sweet. We've probably been teaching them for about 2 months. Ali is the mom, she has a brain tumor and is undergoing an experimental medication right now for it. She gets really sick, but she is the sweetest person! Randy is 11 and is very excited to be baptized. They will be baptized on August 21st! Ali has to quit smoking, so Sister Hamilton and I made a deal with her that we'd give up candy and desserts if she would give up cigarettes! We're also going to go to the LDS Addiction Recovery class with her! We've done really well at not eating candy or desserts! I've lost about 3 lbs in about 4 days. :)

Next we have Christine. Christine has had about 3 baptismal dates, but can't seem to quit smoking. We've made the same deal with Christine and we will take her to the Addiction Recover class too. She feels like she can quit smoking in order to make her date of August 28th. She's such a sweet lady! She's had a really rough life though. She's trying to turn it all around, but is finding it hard to change that many behavioral patterns so quickly.

We have an investigator up in Oakridge. Her name is Tina and she reminds me of Neely so much! When I go to her house, it's almost like being with my sisters! Tina's husband, Bill has been a member his whole life, but is less-active. Tina has been holding back on getting baptized even though she knows the church is true, because she wants Bill to progress with her. We tried to set a baptismal date with her on Saturday, but she wouldn't. She then walked out to the car with us and told us that she's decided she just needs to get baptized and Bill will follow eventually. She said that she'll be baptized within the first couple of weeks of September! I'm so excited for her!

We're also teaching a couple up in Oakridge, named Troy and Shauna! Troy was a member, but has be excommunicated. He and Shauna have taken the lessons several times, but only progress so far and then give up, because they can't get married and they live together. Troy has some baggage from previous marriages that isn't allowing them to be married. Troy was recently told that only 9% of his heart is working and that he needs a heart transplant. It shook him up pretty bad and put things into perspective. He has been coming to church every week since and Shauna even came with him yesterday! We talked to Shauna and we'll be fasting for them on August 1st. We're fasting that we'll be able to find a way for them to get married, so that Shauna can get baptized and so that Troy can work towards be able to be baptized again too!

We have an investigator in Springfield named Brandy. Brandy has a HUGE love of the church! She knows it's true and wants to be baptized, but her fiance and the father of her 2 children is in Mexico and is trying to get back up here. She doesn't want to get baptized until she knows that she won't break the Law of Chastity when he does get up here. She's so excited to go the temple and be married forever, but we've got to get her baptized first! We'll be fasting for her on the 1st too!

Angel and Oriana are doing ok. Oriana is losing her interest in the church, because she's very shy and can't seem to make friends in the ward. Angel is doing really well and informed us last night that she wants to find a husband! She's been telling us for months that "she don't need no man!", so we were very happy to hear about her change of heart. I told her to write down all of the qualities that she thinks are important and then take the list to Heavenly Father, because He knows where that person is and who will make Angel and Oriana the most happy. She texted us this morning and said that she had made the list and was glad she had! She wants an eternal family! It's amazing progress for Angel!

Well, that's just some of the things that have been happening! We're right in the heart of the summer here, I love it! It's super hot, but it's so nice to see the sun again!

We had dinner with President and Sister Macdonald on Saturday! That was a lot of fun! I didn't want to leave their house! It was like being home! I wish I could just stay there all the time!

Well, I better go! I love you and thank you very, very much!

I look forward to letters from you all! :)

I love you all!

Love,

Sister Losee